Inspiring a New Generation of Talent with DEC Awards
Join us as we delve into the exciting world of ‘Design Engineer Construct!’ (DEC) Awards and discover how young learners can set sail on a journey of innovation as they engage with the built environment through hands-on projects and exciting challenges!
What are DEC Awards?
DEC Awards are small project-based learning exercises that inspire and educate children and young people about the built environment. They come with a variety of advantages, including opening learners up to a world of opportunity and encouraging them to use creative and strategic thinking!
Through these awards, learners can design, engineer, and construct a range of buildings and structures where people can live, play and work, including their own ‘Centre for Our Planet’ (COP).
Crafted through imagination, the COP is a hub of education where young people can use STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) to learn about and understand the impact of climate change.
What makes the awards so appealing is that they’re super flexible and can be adapted to the needs of learners in different settings, such as schools, colleges, universities or even at home.
The versatility of DEC Awards shines through, as there are no restrictions on the time of year they need to be taken. For example, schools can enrich their learning programmes by offering DEC Awards in clubs or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) enrichment activities during or outside of term time.
The added bonus? Learners who successfully complete their projects will receive a well-deserved certificate to celebrate their hard work and dedication!
The DEC Awards on offer
There’s not one, not two, but three types of DEC Awards that learners can get their teeth stuck into!
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DEC Discover Award is an exciting challenge that offers young people up to the age of 16 the opportunity to ignite their passion for civil engineering.
Set in “Anytown,” learners will play the role of local heroes by transforming a sports stadium into a Sustainable Outreach Shelter (SOS) and protecting civilians from a dangerous storm.
Tasked with putting on their strategic thinking caps, learners will write a newspaper article detailing why their shelter was a success and how they took into consideration factors such as water, energy, waste, transport and the ground it was built on.
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Certified by TQUK, DEC Connect Awards gives learners the chance to channel their inner creativity and design:
a place to call home
an Italian restaurant for a celebrity chef
a river-based facility
THE COP
a net zero McDonald’s restaurant
a net zero neonatal unit.
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Certified by TQUK, DEC Extend Awards are aimed at learners who already have some experience of the built environment under their belts!
Learners will be challenged to think outside the box and design:
an underground hotel
student accommodation
a recording studio and live music venue.
With DEC Extend Awards, the sky is the limit, as they can be used alongside further education subjects and apprenticeship learning programmes.
The learning outcomes and pathways
DEC Awards are the perfect opportunity for children and young people to discover a new pathway and embark on a journey towards a fulfilling future.
Once they have completed the awards, learners can pop it on their CVs, take advantage of their enhanced problem-solving skills, and progress towards further education or apprenticeships within the field of the built environment!